Kansas City, MO Assembly Plant Preps To Launch All-New Ford Transit

Kansas City, MO Assembly Plant Preps To Launch All-New Ford Transit

January 21, 2014

Ford began welcoming nearly 1,000 new employees at its Kansas City Assembly Plant to prepare for the launch of the all-new Ford Transit that goes on sale in the U.S. this summer. The company also is announcing that 175 additional employees will be hired by March to help build the new Transit. (Credit: PRNewsFoto/Ford Motor Company.)

Posted by Heidi Schwartz

Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant welcomes nearly 1,000 employees as preparation to build the all-new 2015 Ford Transit gets under way; 175 additional employees to start by March 2014. Overall this year, Ford is creating more than 5,000 new jobs, including 3,300 salaried positions – its largest hiring initiative since 2000; new jobs build on more than 14,000 Ford jobs in North America in the past two years.

The company also is announcing that 175 additional employees will be hired by March to help build the new Transit. The new employees put Ford Motor Company on the top 10 list of Missouri employers.

Transit is one of 16 new North American products – and 23 global products – Ford will launch in 2014, triple the number of new products Ford launched last year in North America. Transit eventually will replace Ford E-Series, which has reigned as America’s best selling van for 35 years.

“For decades, Ford E-Series has been the leading choice among business owners for a tough, durable cargo vehicle that also delivers unmatched flexibility and capability,” said John Ruppert, Ford general manager, commercial vehicle sales and marketing. “Transit is the natural successor to E-Series, taking flexibility and capability to new levels, while also adding in superior fuel efficiency.”

The Kansas City Assembly Plant is home of the 2014 F-150 and will begin producing the all-new 2015 F-150 in the first quarter of 2015. The 1,000 employees are part of more than 2,000 jobs that have been added at the plant to meet growing demand for Ford trucks and to launch production of the all-new Ford Transit van. To prepare for the new van, 300 employees started work at the plant in late 2013, with an additional 300 workers joining the week of Jan. 6 and 400 more the following week.

Jobs at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant increased more than 35 percent year-over-year, with approximately 3,400 employees in 2013 and more than 4,600 who will report for work by March. The new jobs also make Ford the top auto employer in Kansas City.

Overall this year, Ford is creating more than 5,000 new jobs in the U.S., including 3,300 salaried positions. It is the largest hiring initiative for the company since 2000, and builds on more than 14,000 jobs Ford has created during the past two years in North America.

The additional jobs at Kansas City Assembly Plant come as Ford continues to retool and expand the facility through a $1.1 billion investment for Transit production. When Transit production begins nearly 275 suppliers nationally and six suppliers locally will grow their businesses through job creation and manufacturing investment.

“With Ford hiring the 1,000th worker to work on the Transit, it’s clear that our efforts to rebuild Missouri’s auto sector continue to pay real dividends for Missouri families in the Kansas City region and across our state,” said Gov. Jay Nixon. “As governor, I greatly appreciate Ford’s strong and growing investment in our state and the outstanding workers who will build this next-generation vehicle right here in Missouri.”

You Might Like:

American Marksman Expanding In MissouriThe ammunition manufacturer and distributor is expanding in the Kansas City region, creating 65 advanced manufacturing jobs with the help of an incentive package from the Missouri DED.

Seven Finalist Cities Chosen For Smart City ChallengeThe U.S. DOT's Smart City Challenge has pledged up to $40M to help one city define what it means to be a “Smart City “and become the country’s first to fully integrate innovative technologies – self-driving cars, […]

The Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development is a public/private collaboration charged with fulfilling Lincoln’s economic development goals upholding the idea that job growth and business expansion are critical components of a vibrant and thriving economy.

A singing chicken, two left-handed gloves, and a coconut bra are among some of the most unusual — and inappropriate — holiday gifts exchanged in the workplace. Read Friday Funny: What Not To Give on Facility Executive - Creating Intelligent Buildings.

Business Facilities highlights area economic development and site selection news from around the world. Economic development creates opportunities to grow state, local and metro areas, which are essential for economic growth, improved quality of life and community development.

Business Facilities is a leading full-service media brand specializing in the site selection marketplace. Through a bi-monthly magazine, e-mail newsletters, a news portal, and its LiveXchange event, Business Facilities has created a dynamic community for C-level executives and economic development organizations.